We all want to take better care of ourselves, and it’s even easier than we thought. Turns out, having an active sex life is good for your health and these are some science-backed benefits to have more sex.
- It eases stress - You might not be in the mood when you’re stressed, but sex is a great stress-reliever. It “floods the brain” with feel-good chemicals and lowers the stress hormone cortisol.
- It boosts mood - Research shows that getting it on at least once a week in a committed relationship was enough to make couples feel happy. And other physical affection helps too - studies of older adults have shown that holding hands, kissing, hugging, and such also improve quality of life.
- It improves sleep - After an orgasm, prolactin, a hormone that relaxes you, is released along with the rest of those “feel-good hormones” and that’s why most folks sleep well after sex.
- It boosts your immunity - Researchers from Wilkes University found that those who had sex once or twice a week had the highest levels of an antibody that helps the body fight off illness.
- It improves heart health - A study from the New England Research Institute finds that men who have sex at least twice a week are 45% less likely to have heart disease than those who do it once a month or less. And a 2016 study shows women who say they have “frequent, extremely satisfying sex” have a lower risk for hypertension, a precursor to heart disease.
- It boosts cognition - Studies show that having an active sex life as older folks protects and even improves the brain’s executive functioning and recall.
- It limits pain - Research has found that getting busy can ease menstrual cramps, chronic back and leg pain, and even migraines. We can thank the hormones released during sex, like endorphins, which block pain and stress.
- It's exercise? - Well, that depends on how you do it and for how long. But if you’re young and healthy and spend at least half an hour having sex, it counts. Think of all those muscles and tendons you’re stretching and joints you’re flexing, along with raising your heart rate, plus it’s a lot more fun than spin class.
Source: CNN